Deputy not involved in roadside hassle

As the patrol lieutenant at the La Plata County Sheriff’s Office, I was disappointed in the letter to the editor submitted by Mitch Harwood (Herald, Feb. 17).

The Sheriff’s Office has a procedure for filing complaints. We have that procedure in place to ensure our professionals maintain the high standards set by law, our office, ourselves and the residents we are sworn to protect.

I was not afforded the opportunity to look into the matter Harwood recounted and learned about it in his letter to the editor titled “Sheriff’s deputy more a hassle than a help.” After reading the letter, I did look into the incident and was not surprised to find that a Sheriff’s Office deputy was not involved and that Harwood was mistaken. The demeanor and conduct as reported by Harwood by a deputy is not in line with the professionals we employ to protect our community.